Begonia Plant Named &#39;TMBG0822&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘TMBG0822’, characterized by its upright to spreading and mounded plant habit; moderately freely basal branching habit; freely and continuously flowering habit; strongly fragrant flowers; and double-type flowers that are lemon yellow in color with a light orange-colored reverse.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Begonia Plant Named ‘TMBG0802’

Filed: Concurrently with this application

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Begonia×tuberhybrida

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘TMBG0822’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically known as Begonia×tuberhybrida, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘TMBG0822’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Harkstead, Ipswich, United Kingdom. Theobjective of the breeding program was to develop new trailing Begoniaplants with fragrant flowers.

The new Begonia plant originated from a self-pollination made by theInventor in August, 2007 of a proprietary selection ofBegonia×tuberhybrida identified as code number BG #001, not patented.The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedself-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Harkstead,Ipswich, United Kingdom in July, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by shoot tip cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Harkstead, Ipswich, United Kingdomsince August, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this newBegonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such astemperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘TMBG0822’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘TMBG0822’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

1. Upright to spreading and mounded plant habit.

2. Moderately freely basal branching habit.

3. Freely and continuously flowering habit.

4. Strongly fragrant flowers.

5. Double-type flowers that are lemon yellow in color with a lightorange-colored reverse.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the parentselection. Plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of the parentselection in the following characteristics:

1. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia are darker green in color thanleaves of plants of the parent selection.

2. Plants of the new Begonia are more freely flowering than plants ofthe parent selection.

3. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia are more fragrant than flowersof plants of the parent selection.

4. Plants of the new Begonia and the parent selection differ in flowercolor as flowers of plants of the parent selection are apricot in color.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia×tuberhybrida ‘TMBG0802’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent applicationfiled concurrently. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily fromplants of ‘TMBG0802’ in flower color as plants of ‘TMBG0802’ have yellowto apricot-colored flowers with a light salmon orange-colored reverse.In addition, plants of the new Begonia only produce male flowers whereasplants of ‘TMBG0802’ produce male and female flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can also be compared to plants of the Begoniapendula ‘Victoria Falls’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,653. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Harkstead, Ipswich, UnitedKingdom, plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of ‘VictoriaFalls’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Begonia had larger flowers than plants of ‘VictoriaFalls’.

2. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia were more fragrant than flowersof plants of ‘Victoria Falls’.

3. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Victoria Falls’ differed in flowercolor as plants of ‘Victoria Falls’ had bright orange-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Begonia plant. The photograph on the first sheet comprises aside perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘TMBG0822’ grownin a container. The photograph on the second sheet are close up views ofupper and lower surfaces of typical fully developed double flowers,developing double flower (outer surface only) and leaves of ‘TMBG0822’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTIONS

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and followingobservations and measurements were grown in 12-cm containers during thewinter in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 19° C.to 21° C., night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 20° C. and lightlevels averaged 6,000 lux. Plants were eight weeks old when thephotographs and the description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×tuberhybrida ‘TMBG0822’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Begonia×tuberhybrida identified as code number BG #001, not            patented. Male, or pollen, parent: Proprietary selection of            Begonia×tuberhybrida identified as code number BG #001, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By shoot tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 20 days at            temperatures of about 20° C. to 23° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at            temperatures of about 20° C. to 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 35 days            at temperatures of about 20° C. to 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 35 to 38            days at temperatures of about 20° C. to 23° C.        -   Root description.—Thin, fibrous; light brown in color;            plants of the new Begonia have not been observed to form            tubers.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright to spreading and            mounded plant habit; flattened globular in shape; moderately            freely basal branching with about six primary branches per            plant; primary branches with secondary branches at            potentially every node; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 13.5 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 20.8 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter:            About 8 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm. Aspect: About 30°            from vertical Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color, developed:            Close to 146C and slightly tinged with close to 152A. Color,            developed: Close to 146C.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 11.6 cm. Width: About 6.9 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Unequal hastate. Margin: Bi-serrate. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent; velvety.            Venation pattern: Palmate; reticulate. Color: Developing            leaves, upper surface: Darker than 147A and heavily tinged            with close to N200A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close            to 187C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Much darker            than between 139A and 147A; venation, close to 143A. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 183B to 183C;            venation, close to 143A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.6 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Moderately pubescent.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 152A; distally,            close to 180A. Color, lower surface: Close to 165A;            distally, close to 183A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Double-type (male) rotate flowers arranged            in axillary cymes; freely flowering habit with about two            flowers per cyme and about 36 flowers developing per plant;            flowers face mostly outwardly to slightly upright.        -   Fragrance.—Strongly fragrant; fragrance pleasant, sweetly            acidic; similar to rose and citrus.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about four            to six weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the            garden plants flower freely and continuously from spring            until autumn in The Netherlands and plants can be flowered            year-round in greenhouses.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence height (including peduncle).—About 9.9 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 10.3 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 0.9 cm to            2.4 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate to nearly circular, flattened.            Color: Close to 149D tinged with close to 31C to 31D.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 9 cm. Depth (height): About 4.5 cm.        -   Tepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically two per flower.            Length: About 5.3 cm. Width: About 6.1 cm. Shape: Nearly            orbicular. Apex: Obtuse, rounded. Margin: Irregularly finely            crenate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety.            Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 4C and 11A to            11B. When opening, lower surface: Close to 2D tinged with            close to 31 C; towards the apex, close to N34D. Fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 3C to 3D; towards the apical            margins and apex, tinged with close to 26D; color does not            fade with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to            between 2D and 3D; center and towards the apex, tinged with            close to N34C; color does not fade with development.        -   Tepaloids.—Quantity per flower: Typically about 40 per            flower. Length: About 1.4 cm to 4.7 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm            to 5.3 cm. Shape: Broadly obcordate to broadly obovate.            Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:            Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture, lower surface: Smooth,            glabrous; slightly velvety. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to between 155A and 4D; towards the apex,            close to 2D. When opening, lower surface: Close to between            155A and 4D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 5D;            towards the margins, close to 4D; color does not fade with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 4D; color            does not fade with development.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Angle: About 20° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 152B;            proximally, tinged with close to 179B; distally, closer to            146C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Aspect: About 25° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 151A;            proximally, close to N144C to N144D.        -   Reproductive organs.—None observed; all stamens on male            flowers transformed into tepaloids.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been            observed on plants of the new Begonia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common    to Begonia plants has not been observed on plants of the new    Begonia.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed totolerate temperatures from about 10° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘TMBG0822’ asillustrated and described.